WVC 7-14B-9
§7-14B-9. Character and notice of competitive examinations;
qualifications of applicants; competitive
examinations to be prescribed by state civil service
commission; press representatives; posting eligible
list; medical examinations; exceptions as to and
training of correctional officers serving on
effective date of article.
All competitive examinations for appointments or promotions to
all positions of correctional officer shall be practical in their
character, and shall relate to such matters, and include such
inquiries, as will fairly and fully test the comparative merit and
fitness of the person or persons examined to discharge the duties
of the position sought by him or them. The state civil service
commission shall prepare and prescribe, from time to time, the
competitive examination to be given by the civil service commission
of each such county. All competitive examinations shall be open to
all applicants who have fulfilled the preliminary requirements
specified in other sections of this article.

Adequate public notice of the date, time and place of every
competitive examination held under the provisions of this article,
together with information as to the position to be filled, shall be
given at least two weeks prior to such competitive examination.
The civil service commission in each county shall adopt reasonable
rules and regulations for permitting the presence of
representatives of the press at any such competitive examinations.
Such commission shall post, in a public place at its office, the eligible list, containing the names and grades of those who have
passed such competitive examinations for positions as correctional
officer, under this article, and shall indicate thereon such
appointments as may be made from said list.

All applicants for appointment or promotion to any position as
a correctional officer in any such county who have passed the
competitive examination specified above shall, before being
appointed or promoted, undergo a medical examination which shall be
conducted under the supervision of a board composed of two doctors
of medicine appointed for such purpose by the sheriff of the
county. Such board must certify that an applicant is free from any
bodily or mental defects, deformity or diseases which might
incapacitate him from the performance of the duties of the position
desired and is physically fit to perform such duties before said
applicant shall be appointed or promoted to any position.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this paragraph, in the event
the commission deems it expedient, the medical examination may be
given prior to the competitive examination, and if the medical
examination is not passed as aforesaid, the applicant shall not be
admitted to the competitive examination.

All correctional officers who are employed as correctional
officers on the effective date of this article, shall be considered
to have been appointed under the provisions of this article without
regard to their age, and without competitive examination or medical
examination, and shall hold their positions in accordance therewith for one year from the effective date of this article. The civil
service commission shall, however, establish or prescribe a
training program for correctional officers who are employed as such
on the effective date of this article, giving due consideration to
available training personnel and programs. Such correctional
officers shall complete a two-hundred-hour basic correctional
officer's training course as certified by the West Virginia
department of corrections within a twelve-month period following
appointment.

However, persons who have (1) completed a basic correctional
officers training course or equivalent within the past three years
prior to appointment or (2) who have been employed as a
correctional officer in a jail for three years out of the last five
years prior to appointment may be certified as correctional
officers without basic training if in the judgment of the
commission such persons are otherwise qualified. A correctional
officer failing to qualify under the provisions of this paragraph
may be continued in his position at the discretion of the sheriff
but in no event for a period of more than one year. Such person
may be reexamined at the discretion of the civil service commission
of the county and may qualify as provided in this paragraph.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2016 Regular Session
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